Him
by elana-chan
Summary: [YAOI 1x2]The sequel to my fic "A Slice From the Life of Duo Maxwell". Heero discovers something about the braided pilot when Duo got injured from their last mission...


Elana-chan: This fic is actually the sequel for my first fic "A Slice From the Life of Duo Maxwell". But I decided that it can stanfd alone for itself. smirks Anyways, here it is so enjoy, minna-san!!!!

Him

by elana-chan

Duo smiled softly, the normal shinigami smile replaced by a genuine one. Outside the small window of the small safehouse, the full moon shone, illuminating everything to a silver sheen. Night sounds filled the air and floated into the room. The wind whistled by, sounding like a lover mourning for his love.

But the braided boy didn't notice all of these. His whole attention centered on a piece of paper in his grasp. Sitting in front of a small desk with a pen and a small pile of crumpled paper, one could easily deduct that the pilot of Deathscythe had been writing. And the one he's holding is the product of all that hard work.

"Finally." Duo uttered softly. "I never thought I'd write this kind of stuff." He said with a hint of humor in his voice.

The cobalt-blue eyed boy turned to glance at the clock when a yawn passed his lips. He chuckled to himself and shook his head at the clock that showed it was already 2 in the morning.

"I totally forgot the time. Silly me." Duo said as he slapped himself in the head. He looked at the paper once again, the heart-shaped face possessing a soft expression.

He carefully handled the paper as if it would tear at any minute. Opening a drawer at the bottom of the desk, he pulled out a small box. Made of cheap wood and containing no adornment, the box was kept plain and simple. Duo carefully opened the box and folded the piece of paper in his hands to fit inside the box. Together with a piece of black cloth, a worn-out priest's collar and a strand of blond hair, Duo neatly placed the folded paper in the box.

"There. That should do it. Heero's gonna get mad if I'm late again. Must get some sleep..." Duo muttered as he placed the box back to its hiding place.

As his head hit the pillow, Duo was fast asleep, dreaming of a certain blue- eyed boy.

* * *

"Shit."

Duo cursed and winced as he was pulled back roughly by his harness after Deathscythe took a hit. Mobile Dolls swarmed around him, sensing his suit's weak condition. They had received a mission to intercept an Oz carrier carrying valuable mobile suit parts and state-of-the-art weaponry from reaching the nearest air base to the colonies. Since only Deathscythe and Wing were the only suits that are functional at the moment, he has Heero for a partner in this mission.

The mission was supposed to be an easy one. But when they arrive at the coordinates, both hadn't expected to encounter Mercurius Mobile Dolls escorting the carrier. And they were now trying to stop the dolls from frying them and also stop the carrier from reaching the air base.

"02 report damage." Heero's emotionless voice drifted through the comm unit. The screen was full of static because of the damage done to his suit.  
  
"Hi ya 01." Duo joked at him and tried to smile despite the pain radiating in his chest and back. "Fine here. Just some minor damage on my stealth and my comm unit's almost fried. It's going to be impossible for communication later. 02 out." Just as he predicted, the line was cut off and his cockpit was filled with the sound of static.

"There goes my comm unit as well. Bummer." Duo said nonchalantly. But at the back of his mind, he felt the fear nagging there. He hadn't told Heero the whole truth. True. Deathscythe lost its stealth system and the comm unit's turned to static. But his suit was also losing power and some of Deathscythe's limbs, along with its boosters, were not functioning properly. He tried working on Deathscythe's console but the suit's not responding.

"Dammit! You Oz people are really pissin' me off!" Duo cursed once again. He apparently forgot that he had some unfinished business with some Mobile Dolls. The dolls had started attacking him and violent tremors rocked Deathscythe from the hits it accepted. Blood welled in his mouth as he bit his lip hard when extreme pain threatened to conquer his senses. As he brandished Deathscythe's glowing scythe and tried to keep the dolls at bay, he could see Wing handling the other dolls easily and effortlessly.

"I mustn't let Heero see me like this. Duo no baka, what do you think you're doin'?! You're Shinigami, for cryin' out loud! Come on, Duo. You can do this! Kick some Oz butt!" Duo berated at himself as his hands gripped tightly at Deathscythe's controls, reassuring himself that they'll accomplish this mission.

He was so busy in his thoughts that the dolls saw and opening and aimed at Deathscythe's right arm, rendering his scythe useless. He muttered curses as he worked on Deathscythe's console and tried to use his suit's remaining weapon system to keep the dolls distracted as Heero goes for the carrier. He looked as his screen and saw Heero finishing the carrier off.

"Mission complete." Duo smirked to himself. Now, all they had to do is to get the hell out of here.

But things didn't go well with what Duo had in mind. Apparently, the dolls were still attacking despite the destruction of the carrier. A rather violent tremor hit Deathscythe again and this time, Duo heard bones snap and intense pain radiated from his chest. His harness pulled him back equally violently as Deathscythe slammed to the ground. He could fill the hot trickle of blood that coursed down his face from a cut on the forehead.  
  
Duo grimaced in pain as he tried to get Deathscythe to stand up. Pain was trying to overwhelm his senses but he controlled it to a dull throb at the back of his mind. He didn't want to appear weak in front of the Perfect Soldier. As his fingers flew over the console to regain control of the suit, sparks suddenly flew and he watched helplessly as his console was fried, too.

Duo managed to glare at his console before turning beautiful-yet-pained violet eyes at the screen. There was still one Mobile Doll left standing and it was hovering over him, beam sword at its metal hand. He could feel the threat of his broken ribs on his lungs. He just grinned at the whole situation, trying not to let the pain and fear overwhelm his being.

As his vision wavered and the pain started to get the upper hand, he vaguely saw the outline of Wing in his screen. Blackness finally claimed him as the intense pain spread all over his body. He didn't saw the Mercurius' destruction nor heard Heero's strangled cry for him.

* * *

"Duo no baka."

Heero muttered softly as he looked down at the figure on the bed. Duo lay fast asleep, looking all innocent and peaceful. He looked so beautiful and angelic like this, despite the machines attached to him. His chestnut hair was freed from its customary braid and flowed behind him like a gleaming chestnut waterfall. Those deep blue-violet eyes were now hidden under those long lashes. A calm expression was on his face despite the injuries he acquired in their last mission. The sounds of his own steady breathing and the hum of Duo's life-support system were the only sounds that echoed throughout the room.

The Japanese' stern expression melted into a soft one as he stared at the sleeping boy. Then, the events that transpired during the last mission came back to haunt him again. Heero closed his eyes tightly and clenched his palms as his vision was filled with scenes from their last mission that happened three days ago.

Heero remembered being helpless as he saw Deathscythe took each hit from the Mobile Dolls that swarmed around him. The soldier inside him had won the battle against his emotions and all he could do was to watch as Duo tried to keep the dolls at bay as he finished their mission. He wanted to abort the mission when he saw the dolls disarmed Duo with his scythe. All he could do was to hasten his own battle with the other Mobile Dolls and finish the carrier off. After he was through with the carrier, he rushed to aid Deathscythe and escape the dolls.

Time seemed to stop for Heero when he arrived at the scene. A lone Mercurius was hovering above the fallen Deathscythe, beam sword at hand. The black suit was not responding, it just lay there like a prisoner waiting for its execution.

"DUO!"

Heero didn't know what overcame him that second. Before him, he only saw that his last hope of ever being a human and his chance of love slowly slipping away from his grasp. Heart beating madly, he dashed towards the doll and slashed it with Wing's beam sword. He watched with satisfaction as the last doll blew up before him. As the smoke from the explosion soared into the sky, Wing carried the fallen Mobile Suit back to their base.

Heero could still remember how the braided American looked when he was pulled out of Deathscythe. With that very pale complexion, blood-covered clothing and still body, everyone thought Duo was dead when they first saw him. Only the confirmation of the weak throbbing pulse of the boy assured them that Duo would live. Quatre's team of medics rushed the boy to the Winner's infirmary. They were informed that the medics had to perform immediate surgery because of internal bleeding caused by broken bones.

After the surgery was over, Quatre's head medic grimly reported to them the boy's total injuries. Three broken ribs, punctured liver, some hairline cracks on the clavicle and sternum, minor lacerations in the forehead and lips and major loss of blood. The surgeons didn't thought that Duo would make it but the boy struggled to hold on to life. All of them were afraid that the braided boy wouldn't make. Quatre paled visibly as Duo's injuries were enumerated. Trowa remained expressionless but the grip on his lover told everything. Wufei turned and muttered 'injustice' as his fists clenched rhythmically. He, on the other hand, tried not to let his emotions show in front of the others even though he was crying inside. Only when he's alone in this room, seeing over Duo's condition and waiting for him to wake up, did he let lose all those pent-up emotions that he so tried to hide from the others.

Three days have passed and still, Duo remained asleep. He seemed content in his dreams, smiling every so often and murmuring unintelligible sounds as he sleeps. He was now out of danger and on his way to recovery as the doctors told them. It was a good thing that the doctors didn't' decide to give them a mission at this time. They would be forced to leave Duo behind if that happens.

Duo stirred in his sleep and Heero went immediately on alert, wishing that the braided boy would finally open his amaryllis eyes for him to see. But it seemed that the gods weren't listening to him. Duo still won't wake up. He just smiled again and murmured something as he remained asleep. Heero's tense body relaxed as he sighed disappointedly. Yet, he held Duo's hand and felt the reassuring feeling that comes with the touch.

/ I never did get the chance to show you how much you mean to me. To tell you that you're my hope. My only salvation from this hell.../

He was interrupted from his thoughts when a knock sounded on the door. Heero returned to his normal stoic self as Quatre opened the door soundlessly and entered the room. He was carrying a small wooden box with a small worried smile on his face.

"Is he all right?"

I nodded.

"Um, I bought this. The mechanics found this in Deathscythe's cockpit. I was going to store it away while Duo's still asleep. But I think it's better that the box stays near him. He might be looking for this when he wakes up."

Quatre handed Heero the small wooden box then left, closing the door soundlessly. The Japanese boy didn't notice that the Arabian already left. His whole attention was on the box in his hands. He scrutinized it, curiosity trying to get the better of him. But it failed in its attempt to make him open the box. Heero turned to place the box on the bedside table. But a paper slipped out of the box and fell to the floor. Heero placed the box then moved to pick up the paper.

This time, curiosity got the better of him and he unfolded the piece of paper. His stare at it turned from stoical, jealousy, disbelief and finally love. He carefully folded the paper and slipped it back into the box. Then, looking at the sleeping American, Heero placed a hand over Duo's warm ones and smiled softly. The first ever smile coming from the normally unemotional Perfect Soldier.

"Duo..."

Aishiteiru.

OWARI

Author's notes:

elana-chan: This fic stinks. Well, what can I do? I have a serious case of writer's block, you know. Sorry for the wrong grammar, nonsense plot, wrong information, corny lines and stuff as such. I'm such a bad writer. boinks self on the head I dedicate this fic to everyone who manages to read it and those who support our works! Hope you enjoyed my last minute fic. Curious what's in the paper? Well, read this if you're still interested. That one's also mine, by the way. I just made a little alteration to fit this fic. Gotta go now! Ja, minna-san!

P.S. Thanks for everyone who reviewed the fic before this one, especially KatDrama!!!!!! Hope you like it!!!!  
__

_baka - _stupid

_aishiteiru - _I love you

What Heero read:

_Him_

­ I love him  
Plain and simple.  
I didn't know when...  
Where...  
Or how it began...  
But  
I do  
And I still love...  
...even if —  
Even if  
It hurts  
To love your bestfriend...  
And to see  
That he —  
...he already loves someone else.  
I'm just right here  
Waiting...  
Longing...  
Hoping...  
Loving...  
...I love him.  
...Heero  
  
_DM 195 _


End file.
